


Open up to Me and I'll Open up to You

by tylerscreamingintothevoid



Series: All that you are is all I'll ever need [5]
Category: South Park
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - High School, Cold, Drinking, Gay, Getting to Know Each Other, Homeless Kenny, M/M, One Shot, Romance, Underage Drinking, bunny - Freeform, fucked up boys, i love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 12:39:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16040651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tylerscreamingintothevoid/pseuds/tylerscreamingintothevoid





	Open up to Me and I'll Open up to You

"Sorry, did you say three forty?"

Kenny fished out a few more cents, them rolling on the counter in a mesmerising circular motion before finally settling on the sleek wood. The flower shop was quiet that day, Spring sunlight shining through the window with the bitter feeling of Winter still hanging in the air. Butters scooped up the coins, having to push them around a little until he could pick them up. "Uh, y-yeah, three forty!"

"That's not gonna be enough," mumbled Kenny, trying to fish out some extra change from his tangerine parka. He shook his head. "Forget it. Sorry for wasting your time."

Butters swallowed and counted out the change in his hand. Three fifteen. "You sure you don't have any more change?"

"I got a stick of gum and a contact lens." Kenny shrugged, reaching out to take his cash back. "I'll get out of your hair."

Butters chewed on his lip, glancing to the back room where his boss was in his office. "Take 'em." He sorted the change out and opened the till, putting it in. "Special discount!"

Kenny looked perplexed at the charity but thanked the kid anyway, taking the bunch of flowers and holding them up to his chest. "Thanks."

He flashed Butters the charming smile he reserved for gullible old ladies.

Butters flushed adorably, highlighting to freckles that were splattered across his nose and cheeks. "It's no problem!"

Kenny recognised him from school. Quiet, shy Butters. Always trying to get in with the group, never succeeding. He'd just bought the flowers for his mom's birthday, so he went home to give them to her and he planned to leave again straight after.

He was clad in tight black jeans and his parka, an almost equally tight shirt that still had the tag attached at the side. Kenny had tucked it quickly into the side of his jeans. When he got home he knocked on the door, it pushing open. "Mom?"

His mom was on the couch, empty beer cans littering the table beside her. "What is it, runt?"

"Happy birthday," he mumbled as he tossed the flowers to her feet. "I just needed to change out of these."

The shirt he'd shoplifted was two sizes too small, but beggars couldn't be choosers, he figured. He tugged it off as he snuck into his room, smoothing down his chest as he reached for one of his others. Better to save a clean shirt for a real rainy day. He pulled on an old comfortable shirt that hung low around his collar, and Kenny regarded himself in the broken mirror.

Yeah, he was alright.

Around the same time, Butters had to close up shop.

Butters hated closing up shop on his own.

Still, he didn't have much of a choice, so he fiddled with the keys before locking the door, having already done the money counting for the night. It was still light out when he finished, thanks to the summertime, so he had plenty of time to walk home. That didn't mean he wanted to, though.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he took it out, his stomach flipping uncomfortably.

Hey sweetie, when are you coming home? - Mom

Everything okay? Hurry home! - Dad

He made a face and put the phone back, without replying to either of them. He usually took the long way home anyways, but even that seemed too short today.

A flurry of Where are yous and You're late, is the store okays and Honey do you know your way homes were flung into his inbox, as they usually did when it was up to him to close up. He was glaring so angrily at his phone that he didn't notice the boy he walked straight into. He almost dropped his phone, stopping to catch it at the same time the other boy did. "Fuck, sorry!"

Kenny held out his hand to catch it before looking down at the boy. "Oh, Butters. Funny running into you again, huh?"

And he had been running. The sun was setting by now and Kenny had been making a dash back into town to get drinks, parka left behind in his room. Cold air now nipped at his bare arms and the longer he stood there with Butters, the more exposed and nervous he felt. Hopefully, the dusk would hide his scars well enough that the boy wouldn't make a comment. Butters blinked, and then recognition was clear on his face. "Kenny? Where's your jacket?"

"Oh, I guess I must’ve left it at home."

The orange stood out too much when he was going out to the liquor store to get drinks.

Butters frowned and looked down at his own coat. "It's so cold now, though."

"Right, right." Kenny crossed his arms, hiding what he could. Both boys clearly didn't want to head home that night, and both understood one another without a word. "I was- I was just heading uptown, grab some drinks."

"Drinks?"

Oh, right. Kenny had forgotten that Butters was one of those innocent kids. Even at seventeen, Butters was clueless about the bliss of alcohol. And at almost eighteen, Kenny was clueless about the bliss of innocence. "Some beers, Butters."

"... Oh." Butters nodded slowly. "Did they... like the flowers?"

"Mom loved them. It's her birthday."

Butters smiled softly. "That's really good!"

Kenny felt a pang of guilt as he lied to the boy, but he shrugged. "Yeah. Uhm, do you want... do you want to come with?"

"Uh.. yeah, sure!"

Anything was better than going home.

"Cool. C'mon then." Kenny led the way to the liquor store, hands in his pockets. He felt a rush. Having an accomplice with him was new, and maybe it would even be easier. The place was dingy, cheap, light above the main door flickery. "Butters, listen to me. Just go in and ask for a drink. Any drink, as long as it's got some alcohol. If he asks for your ID, tell him you left it at home. If he's getting mad... just keep trying. You got that kiddo?"

Butters looked confused. "I'm not twenty one, Ken."

They were nowhere near twenty-one.

"That's okay, he'll still give you whatever you want, yeah? Trust me when I say we'll get what we want."

Butters nodded slowly, quicker to trust than he should have been. "O-Okay."

Kenny skulked around the back aisles as Butters went up to the main counter. A heavily tattooed man in a wife beater leaned over it. "Hm?"

Butters looked young. Younger than he was. "Uh, I- Can I have a beer, please? S-Sir."

"Uh-huh. ID, buddy."

Kenny was out of sight so Butters just stood there nervously.

"I said ID."

Butters made a show of patting his pockets. "I uh. Must've forgotten it at home..."

"Right. You're way too young to be in here. Where's your mom?"

What upset Butters was how the man said it with utmost sincerity and concern, rather than a mocking tone. "I don't n-need my mom!" He huffed. "I just forgot it at home, sir."

A glance out the window and Butters could see Kenny sitting down on the concrete footpath outside. The man was starting to get frustrated. "Forget about it. Come back in six years."

Butters nodded, too scared to fight back against such an intimidating looking man, retreating outside. "I, uh... I'm sorry Kenny, I didn't get any."

"Don't worry, I did," Kenny mumbled as he moved over out of sight of the store window, holding up a can of beer he'd swiped. "And I got one for you, too."

"You stole them!?" Butter frowned. "What if he’d caught you?"

"He didn't."

Kenny shook the beer can, reminding Butters it was there and offering it to him. Butters took it gingerly, turning it in his hands before popping it open. "I've never drunk beer before..."

"If you don't like it, it's fine. Take a swig though."

Butters huffed and then took a sip, making a face. "Eugh."

Kenny chuckled. "Heh. Yeah, I remember that feeling."

Butters went red and then took another sip. "Thank you..."

Kenny's smile was something special. His teeth were slightly off, and Butters had spotted earlier that he had a gap in his two front teeth. But it was endearing. Butters sat down on the sidewalk beside him and grinned. "My parents would be so mad..."

Kenny shivered slightly, rubbing his arms. "Mine wouldn't give a flying fuck." The dim light of the liquor store was enough for Butters to be able to see the scars.

His jaw dropped slightly and he closed his mouth again. "Are you-" Butters stopped, thought about the question, before continuing anyway, “are you okay?"

Kenny's can hissed as it was cracked open, and the boy took a slug. "Sometimes."

"What does that mean?"

"Sometimes I'm okay, and sometimes I'm not. That's just how it is, I guess."

Butters frowned. "Oh. That's... I'm sorry."

Kenny scoffed. "Mostly I'm not."

"Can I help?"

Kenny couldn't remember the last time someone had given a shit.

He couldn't believe someone was now.

"You don't need to."

"But I want to!"

Kenny furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"Because you're nice to me."

Kenny rolled his eyes, shivering again in the cold. "Whatever..."

"Don't be rude."

Kenny chuckled. "Alright alright, thank you. But you shouldn't get messed up with me."

"What?"

"I'm messed up, y’see?"

Butters laughed nervously. "Me too."

"You?"

The way Kenny said that hurt. It was like he twisted the knife in his stomach that always reminded Butters; You've got a roof over your head, stop complaining, you selfish brat. Butters winced, and then drained some more of his beer, shrugging slightly. "My mom tried to kill me last year."

Kenny paled. He felt numb, memories of the night terrors flooding back in all at once, then stopping abruptly. “She did?"

He nodded and took another drink, before putting the can down. "Yeah. Didn't even get a day off school, either."

Kenny took his time, shaking his can a little before taking a swig. "That's rough, buddy."

"Yeah, that's why I don't like going home."

"I've barely got a home to go to, man. All run down like."

Butters nodded. "You live outside of town, right? I heard some other kids talking about it."

"Yeah, kids talk a lot in this fuckin town," grumbled Kenny, frustrated and getting to his feet, "wanna go for a walk?"

Butters reached up, grabbing his arm to help himself up. "Yeah, sure."

His phone started to ring, and he pointedly ignored it.

"Who's'at?"

"Parents." He took it out and hung up on them, again. He huffed and worried his bottom lip between his teeth, looking unfairly cute as he pushed his phone back into his pocket. "They like knowing where I am."

"My parents never even cared. Then again, they didn't try to kill me."

"I'm sorry about your parents, Kenny."

"Don't be. Where can we go?" Kenny scratched at his arm again. "I don't want to sleep tonight."

"I don't know... the bus shelter?"

"What am I, homeless?" Kenny scoffed, mumbling practically under his breath before hugging himself tighter. "How about a rooftop?"

Butters hummed and then blinked. "That new store in town has a low roof?"

"Then there."

Kenny shivered, and Butters had had enough of it. He unzipped his coat and took it off, leaving him in his hoodie as he handed it to the other boy. "Here."

Kenny took a sip from the can and furrowed his brow. "Hm?"

Butters shook the coat in his hand. "You're freezing."

Kenny caught the coat as Butters tossed it and shrugged it on. It was too tight around his arms, but he didn't mind. It was warm.

It was warm, and it smelled really clean and nice. The absence of the lingering smell of smoke was jarring to the boy. He smiled down at the smaller kid, ruffling his hair slightly. "You're cool, Butters."

"I am?" He went red.

"Mm. Have you acquired the taste for beer yet, by the way?"

Butters had barely touched his can since they'd gotten up and started walking. "It's... fine."

It was a bad lie, and they both knew it. Kenny chuckled dryly as they got to the building. He looked up to the roof and the tall chained gate that stood between him and the fire escape. "Hold my beer."

Butters took it. "What are you gonna-"

Kenny hopped halfway up the fence and pulled himself the rest of the way, landing on his feet gracefully. "Here, now I'll hold the beers, and you give it a try."

Butters looked terrified. "I don't know how to do that!"

"Just climb."

Just climb.

He passed over the beers and nodded jerkily, before getting a foothold in the fence and pushing himself up. Kenny put the beers down and held up his hands, ready to catch the smaller blonde. "Here, I got you." Butters was shaking as he got over the top, almost slipping before catching himself, letting himself drop into Kenny's arms. Kenny held him up- the boy was light- and now they were chest to chest, noses bumping and faces inches apart. "Exciting, huh?"

Butters swallowed and nodded. That had been the most exciting thing he'd done lately by far. Although, he wasn’t sure whether it was the climb or the boy that had his heart beating so fast. Kenny set Butters down on the ground, thumbs unintentionally digging into his hips slightly. "Mm, alright, so now that you're good at climbing, you'll love getting up to the roof."

Butters paled a little. "I don't know, Ken..."

"We'll be fine, man, I'll help you up. Hold onto my back, and the cans, and I'll get us up, eh?"

"You sure?"

"Just hold on tight and don't spill the drinks."  
He nodded and wrapped his arms around Kenny's neck, holding the cans. Kenny's skin was warm to the touch, and he leaped up to the fire escape. The shaking almost drove Butters insane, but he held tight for his dear life. Kenny climbed up carefully and reached the roof, crouching down so Butters would get off. He let go stiffly, sitting down and shaking. "You're so brave, Kenny."

Kenny chuckled. "Not really."

"You are!"

Kenny shrugged, sipping from his can. He sighed and his groggy breath would have repulsed Butters if it were anyone other than the boy now in front of him. Butters blushed slightly. "You're so cool."

"Nah. And sit down, get comfy. I mean, I can't speak for you, but I'm not heading home tonight man."

"I really don't want to."

"Then don't." Kenny sat down and hiked his knees up to his chest. "Thanks for the coat."

"You were cold, it's no problem!"

"I appreciate it though. Ugh, whatever. Just come sit with me."

Butters nodded and moved over to sit beside him. Kenny immediately wrapped an arm around him affectionately. Butters went red again and hummed. "This is really fun, Ken."

Kenny chuckled. "You can almost see all of South Park from here. Good choice."

"It looks pretty at night. Less messy in the dark,” he leaned his head down into Kenny's shoulder. "I wish I could just stay here."

"We can stay here if we want. Nobody can tell us we can't."

"We'd have to eat eventually!"

Kenny pouted. "Well, for the night."

"Yeah, okay."

Kenny's cheek was against his now, stubble scratching against him and Butters noted how the boy looked bathed in moonlight. He looked cute, adorable, yet terrified, unlike the easygoing persona he put on at school and around town. His shoulders were broad, as was his chest, Butters' coat barely fitting around him. He wondered why he'd never noticed it before.

"You're r-really strong, Ken."

"Huh?"

Butters went bright red. "S-Sorry, I just... you're not as skinny as I thought you were!"

Kenny chuckled. "I used to be skinny as fuck, that's probably it."

"What happened?"

The boy considered the question.

"It was... an eating problem, back then. You get me? But I needed to be strong. I needed to get over my- myself."

It was painful to hear the kid talk like that.

"Started working out, however I could. Didn't help with the night terrors, but it did help with the day ones."

Butters frowned. "I'm real sorry, Kenny. That's... I didn't know."

Kenny was silent for a little before he closed his eyes. “I dream of dying. I see myself, and I see death. And I know it’s coming. I can feel it every night, feel it fucking cut me into pieces, decapitate me, drown me, burn me. I wake up thinking I have marks on me, thinking I’m bleeding. Sometimes I wake up blind. Those dreams are always the worst, and they just keep getting more and more vicious and graphic.”

He let his head drop slightly as if he were about to nod off.

“And sometimes I wake up with more scars than I fall asleep with.”

It was Butters’ turn to be silent now. "But... y-you're okay now, right?"

"Like I said, sometimes.” Kenny sighed. "Rarely. It's fine. So, your mom tried to kill you?"

"Yeah, tried to drown me in the lake. She was... stressed."

"I know the feeling. Both the drowning and the stress."

He hummed. "My dad sent me to a conversion camp, too."

"You're fucking kidding me?"

Butters blinked at him. "What?"

"A conversion camp? Like conversion therapy?"

"Yeah..." Butters shrugged. "He said it was good for me."

"He don't know shit." Kenny brought Butters in closer and had him in a cuddle.

"I... guess." Butters chuckled. "My parents aren't that bad compared to yours though, Ken."

"Your mother tried to kill you and you were sent to conversion camp. How do you deal?” Kenny nuzzled into the back of Butters' head. "Plus, I didn't know you were gay. So I guess shit parents isn't all we have in common."

Butters widened his eyes. "You're gay?"

"As a damn unicorn."

"I had no idea!"

"Mm. I don't tell a lotta people."

"M-Me neither, but everyone guesses anyway."

"People bully you?"

Butters looked at him quizzically. "Uh, yeah? Your friends do, Ken. Everyone does."

Kenny furrowed his brow and scoffed. "My friends do?"

"Cartman and those guys, you're always with them." Butters shrugged. "It's fine."

"Huh. I'll tell them to fuck off then. I didn't think about it. They're probably just joking around, but..."

"Just joking around." Butters snorted and then seemed to deflate a little. "Yeah."

"But I'll tell them to cut it out." Kenny held his hand out to Butters.

Butters blinked and then took his hand, squeezing it gently. "Thanks, Ken. You're w-way nicer than them."

"Kenny." Kenny rolled his eyes. "Call me Kenny."

"Kenny." He nodded and then picked at his sleeve. "My parents are going to be so mad..."

"Mine won't give a fuck."

"I'm not sure which is better."

"Me neither."

Kenny looked Butters in the eyes, biting his lip in anticipation. Butters went a light pink, and he bit his lip. "I-Is there something on my face?"

"Yeah, let me get it."

Kenny reached up and brushed a bit of Butters' fringe out of his face, thumb resting on his cheek. The boy went bright red, and he looked adorable. "Kenny?"

"Huh?"

Butters paused for just a second, before leaning up and kissing him. Kenny let him, kissing back slowly and holding his cheek. Butters pulled back soon after that, looking dazed and more than a little scared. "I... Was that okay?"

Kenny was pretty sure that he had been Butters' first kiss.

"Yeah. Honoured to be your first..." Kenny chuckled, a taste of beer on his chapped lips. "You're so cute..."

Butters went red again and huffed. "How about being my second, too?"


End file.
